1) There are a lot of sections in this text that can be seen as important when trying to understand what its about. I have choosen some of these sections to paraphrase.
Peter Berry gives us a check-list to show us the diffrent stages a reader, and a teacher, puts a text through when wanting to get a deeper understanding for the written word by analysing it. The first of the ten stages regards looking for diffrent kind of patterns in the text. Berry is talking about "structual patterns", distinctive patterns that follows a character throughout the whole story. It can be the characters way of moving his body or talking that is regarded as a "structual pattern" (Original, Peter Berry page, 1).
Further along in the text Berry writes about how there is not only one story, but several stories to be found when interpeting and analysing a text. There is the given story that is told by the author to the reader when reading the book from cover to cover. By going deeper, turning and twisting the words that has been written, finding diffrent ways of interpeting them without changing their location in the text, the reader can find another story hidden behind the obvious story (Original; Peter Berry page, 3).
When analysing a text, Berry takes help not only of "structual patterns", which was mentioned earlier in this text, Berry also searches for other kind of patterns in the text. Patterns that is created for example by using a certin kind of expression more than once in diffrent parts of the text, it can also be a series of events that can be linked together by a common nominator wich gives the events a speciell mening (Original; Peter Berry, page, 3). The patterns discussed in the eight of the ten stages can be small and not always easy to detect, but they exsist in one way or another in all kind of litertuare.
2) Here are some example of sections in the text that I belive should be qouted directly;
“Once the structural pattern has been perceived, a whole line of interpretation can be built.”(Peter Berry, page 1, paragraph 4, line 7 – 8)
“If a literary work is regarded as being like the sea, then 'meaning' is like the salt - it's one of the ingredients of the water, whereas significance is like its colour, that is, something that changes with the prevailing light conditions.” (Peter Berry, page 2, paragraph 3, line 2 – 4)
“Deconstructive reading is a kind of dowsing tool which is designed to pick up that counter-current that runs beneath the linguistic surface.”(Peter Berry, page 6, paragraph 2, line 27- 28)
“...the best way to conceal something is to reveal it, to hide it in the open...” (Peter Berry, page 8, paragraph 1, line 3 - 4)
“The process of deconstructing a text often involves fixing on what looks like an incidental detail - such as a particular word, or a particular metaphor - and then bringing it in from the margin of the text to the centre.” (Peter Berry, page 8, paragraph 2, line18 -20)
“...the deconstructor aims to show that the text is at war with itself...” (Peter Berry, page 9, paragraph 1, line 6)
3) The text, Tackling Textuality – With Theory, written by Peter Berry is both easy to understand and a bit confusing in between when reading. For eaxample, the introduction to this text and its subject is not as clear as it should be. When reading paragraph one on page one, Berry is talking about tea-leaves, how teachers and literary critics needs to know how to read tea-leaves, why is not clear. Sure I can read between the lines, but you should not need to read between the lines to understand what Berry means, there is nothing that indicates that my conclusion when it comes to the mening of the tea-leaves is the right conslusion, this is something that bothers me. Something that all writers are told over and over again, is the importance of expressing yourself as clearly as possible, in this case I belive that Berry could have chosen a diffrent way of expressing himself.
In between, Berry is very clear about what he means by painting a picture in words so that the reader more easily will understand what he is talking about. For example we have the cat that is being stroked the wrong way, the cat gets angry and trys to bite and scratch the one who strokes him (Peter Berry, page 9 paragraph 1, line2 – 3). This is Berrys way of explaining what is happening when someone is trying to deconstruct a text by deconstructive reading.
To put this text in the hands of someone who is not used to reading this kind of material, can experienc the text as difficult to understand, it can also be hard to follow Barrys line of thought. If it would be used by someone without any knowledge of how to analysie a text, it would need to be simplified. However when presenting his analysis of Shakespaeares sonett 73 (Peter Berry, page 4 f.f) and the poem Transit, written by Adrienne Rich, (Peter Berry, page 9 ff) Berry uses a language and line of thought that is very easy to follow, and which gives the reader a bigger understanding for among others the ten stages which is introduced in the begining of his text Tackling Textuality – With Theory. By doing these analysis Barry gives his text a lift, which helps convince the reader that the ten stages presented in the begining, are possible to use when trying to get a deeper understanding for diffrent types of literary work. It also shows the reader that it is possible to use the areas of history, language, gender and psychoanalysis as a base when analysing a text.
söndag 2 maj 2010
söndag 18 april 2010
Tackilng Textuality - With Theory
In the text, Tackling Textuality – With Theory, Peter Berry offers a check-list when analysing literary texts in an attempt to show what kind of tools teachers and literary critics are using when interpreting literary work.
To begin with Peter Berry gives us ten easy steps to follow when interpreting a text, steps that can be used both by professionals in their line of work and by the “ordinary” man who wants to get a deeper understanding for the literary work he has just been reading. For example step one is looking for structural patterns, step two is looking for similarity beneth apparent dissimilarity, step three distinguish between overt and covert content and so on.
Berry also gives us four aspects to use as a point of origin when searching for a deeper truth or thought behind the literture and its connection to the world. The aspects are literature and history, literature and language, literature and gender, literature and psychoanalysis.
By using Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73, Hilda Doolittle’s poem “Ored”, and Adrienne Rich’s poem “Transit”, Peter Berry shows us how to use the steps and some of the four aspects presented in the text, when analysing a literary work of some kind.
Keywords
Tackilng Textuality – With Theory
Interpret a work of literature
Structual patterns
Similarity beneath apparent dissimilarity
Overt and covert content
Distinguish between mening and significance
Genre or literary type
Patterns in literary work
Stages and phases within a literary work
Linguistic period
Literature and history
Literature and gender
Literature and language
Literature and psychoanalysis
To begin with Peter Berry gives us ten easy steps to follow when interpreting a text, steps that can be used both by professionals in their line of work and by the “ordinary” man who wants to get a deeper understanding for the literary work he has just been reading. For example step one is looking for structural patterns, step two is looking for similarity beneth apparent dissimilarity, step three distinguish between overt and covert content and so on.
Berry also gives us four aspects to use as a point of origin when searching for a deeper truth or thought behind the literture and its connection to the world. The aspects are literature and history, literature and language, literature and gender, literature and psychoanalysis.
By using Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73, Hilda Doolittle’s poem “Ored”, and Adrienne Rich’s poem “Transit”, Peter Berry shows us how to use the steps and some of the four aspects presented in the text, when analysing a literary work of some kind.
Keywords
Tackilng Textuality – With Theory
Interpret a work of literature
Structual patterns
Similarity beneath apparent dissimilarity
Overt and covert content
Distinguish between mening and significance
Genre or literary type
Patterns in literary work
Stages and phases within a literary work
Linguistic period
Literature and history
Literature and gender
Literature and language
Literature and psychoanalysis
tisdag 30 mars 2010
Grades do not belong in primary school
During many years there has been a vivid discussion surrounding the question weather we should or should not grade our children in primary school. Arguments both for and against the proposal has been lifted both by parents, techers, principals and politicans, its a question that has divided people. A question, were the answer in my eyes should be given, no we should not grade our children to early, it can cause more harm than good.
Everyone evolves diffrently, for example when learning how to read, some children may need more time, while other children thinks its easy as a breeze. This is a fact that never changes, specially at an early age when the mind is still growing and evolveing. To grade children at this point in time, when they are not on the same level, is not in the greatest intrest of the children, rather the opposite.
It may be argued that grading pupils in primary school is a way to discover if anyone has a disorder or are in need of extra attention or help at an early point. But as teacher´s we should be able to discover if a child has any kind of difficulties without grading them. Its not the grades that tells us if a child is in need of help, its our education which gives us the tools to help and spot children in difficult situations, no matter what the situation or reason behind it may be.
A common argument for grading pupils at an early age is to give them a push. To show them that their hard work is noticed, appriciated and awarded. I can agree that any child who gets a golden star on their paper, or a smiley face and a “well done” on their assignment, automatically grows a couple of inces and it strengthens their confidence. But what about the children who dosen’t get that golden star or that smiley face on their assignmnets, what happens to them?
The answer is that they loose there confidence, some of them more of less give up. They become tired of being the one who always finishes last, that never gets the golden star. In worst case scenario they will start hating school and everything it stands for.
Looking at my own past as a pupil that didn’t always succed with everything, a child which in the begining had problems learning how to read. A pupil that hated when it was time to read out load infront of the class, or take a writting test just to get it thrown in your face that you coulden´t spell. I can clearly say, that if we would have had grades my life would have been a bigger hell then it already was. Getting a grade that would have told me that I sucked, would only have brought me further down into the whole were I already was, it would have destroyed any shreed of confidence that I had left . Who knows what would have become of me, would I still be a teacher?
Grades dont always help sometimes they destroy.
When reading the arguments given in the text above, we can all agree that there are a lot of diffrent aspects that needs to be discussed before deciding if its the right thing to start grading in primary school. Its not a decision that should be made without thought, as shown grades can cause great happines or a feeling of worthlessness. We should protect our children as long as possible against the harsh world that is waiting for them when they are all grown up. As I said once before, grades dont always help, sometimes they destroy.
Everyone evolves diffrently, for example when learning how to read, some children may need more time, while other children thinks its easy as a breeze. This is a fact that never changes, specially at an early age when the mind is still growing and evolveing. To grade children at this point in time, when they are not on the same level, is not in the greatest intrest of the children, rather the opposite.
It may be argued that grading pupils in primary school is a way to discover if anyone has a disorder or are in need of extra attention or help at an early point. But as teacher´s we should be able to discover if a child has any kind of difficulties without grading them. Its not the grades that tells us if a child is in need of help, its our education which gives us the tools to help and spot children in difficult situations, no matter what the situation or reason behind it may be.
A common argument for grading pupils at an early age is to give them a push. To show them that their hard work is noticed, appriciated and awarded. I can agree that any child who gets a golden star on their paper, or a smiley face and a “well done” on their assignment, automatically grows a couple of inces and it strengthens their confidence. But what about the children who dosen’t get that golden star or that smiley face on their assignmnets, what happens to them?
The answer is that they loose there confidence, some of them more of less give up. They become tired of being the one who always finishes last, that never gets the golden star. In worst case scenario they will start hating school and everything it stands for.
Looking at my own past as a pupil that didn’t always succed with everything, a child which in the begining had problems learning how to read. A pupil that hated when it was time to read out load infront of the class, or take a writting test just to get it thrown in your face that you coulden´t spell. I can clearly say, that if we would have had grades my life would have been a bigger hell then it already was. Getting a grade that would have told me that I sucked, would only have brought me further down into the whole were I already was, it would have destroyed any shreed of confidence that I had left . Who knows what would have become of me, would I still be a teacher?
Grades dont always help sometimes they destroy.
When reading the arguments given in the text above, we can all agree that there are a lot of diffrent aspects that needs to be discussed before deciding if its the right thing to start grading in primary school. Its not a decision that should be made without thought, as shown grades can cause great happines or a feeling of worthlessness. We should protect our children as long as possible against the harsh world that is waiting for them when they are all grown up. As I said once before, grades dont always help, sometimes they destroy.
söndag 14 mars 2010
The game Trival Persuite deserves to be the Christmas Gift of the year 2010
Each year we see expensive and modern technical gadgetts ending up on the top of the Christmas gift list. Gadgetts that are very expensive to buy and that will be out of date in a couple of weeks or months, gadgetts that soon will be forgotten when there is a new technical wounder thing out on the market. Why cant the Christams gift of the year be something more affordable, something that wont go out of stile in a couple of weeks, something that will bring family and friends closer, that will challenge people to learn new things, that will make you laugh and enjoy yourself. The Trival Persuite game deserves to be the Christmas gift of the year 2010, a game that has been around for years and which still amuses people all around the world.
In todays society we are surrounded by technology which is essential for us when trying to cope with todays hectic schedules, but it also has a downside, soon we’re spending more time interacting with computers than with humans. Even in our own homes technology is taking over, we’re speending less and less time with each other and more and more time in front of the computer, the tv, the cellphone. Many families dont even eat dinner together. We need something that brings us together again, that helps us to communicate. What can be better to help us interact with each other than a board game like Trival Persuite which offers fun for the whole family.
Trival Persuite also gives us the opportunity to take a break from todays hectic society. While playing the game we can shut the door on technlogy. We dont need to feel hunted by time or text messages on the cellphone, we can shut it all out. It gives us an oppertunity to relax, to have fun with family and friends so why not give it a chance to become the Christmas gift of the year?
It can be argued that you dont need a borad game to be able to interact as a family, and if you want something that you can gather your family around why not choose a more modern kind of Trival Persuite, like the one you can buy together with the Wii games. I agree its a possibility to buy a tv game built on the board game, but if you choose to use this tv game you’re interacting with the tv and not with your family, you’re turned towards the tv, not your family.
Often the Christmas gift of the year is something that is relativly new on the market, that gets a lot of attention because of its newfound popularity. Trival Persuite is not a new phenomenon its been around for a long time and it may bee argued that because of this fact it should not be choosen as the Christmas gift of the year. But as everything else, things that once have been popular can become popular once more.
As shown through the arguments given in this text, the Trival Persuite game surley deserves to becom the Christmas gift of the year. We’re all in need of something that can give us an oppertunity to interact with family and friends in a enviorment were we feel relaxed, happy and clam, were there is no pressure to be someone else or to hurry to the next task. We need to be able to take a step back from everything called technology, to spend less time infront of the computer or the tv, and more time with our loved ones.
In todays society we are surrounded by technology which is essential for us when trying to cope with todays hectic schedules, but it also has a downside, soon we’re spending more time interacting with computers than with humans. Even in our own homes technology is taking over, we’re speending less and less time with each other and more and more time in front of the computer, the tv, the cellphone. Many families dont even eat dinner together. We need something that brings us together again, that helps us to communicate. What can be better to help us interact with each other than a board game like Trival Persuite which offers fun for the whole family.
Trival Persuite also gives us the opportunity to take a break from todays hectic society. While playing the game we can shut the door on technlogy. We dont need to feel hunted by time or text messages on the cellphone, we can shut it all out. It gives us an oppertunity to relax, to have fun with family and friends so why not give it a chance to become the Christmas gift of the year?
It can be argued that you dont need a borad game to be able to interact as a family, and if you want something that you can gather your family around why not choose a more modern kind of Trival Persuite, like the one you can buy together with the Wii games. I agree its a possibility to buy a tv game built on the board game, but if you choose to use this tv game you’re interacting with the tv and not with your family, you’re turned towards the tv, not your family.
Often the Christmas gift of the year is something that is relativly new on the market, that gets a lot of attention because of its newfound popularity. Trival Persuite is not a new phenomenon its been around for a long time and it may bee argued that because of this fact it should not be choosen as the Christmas gift of the year. But as everything else, things that once have been popular can become popular once more.
As shown through the arguments given in this text, the Trival Persuite game surley deserves to becom the Christmas gift of the year. We’re all in need of something that can give us an oppertunity to interact with family and friends in a enviorment were we feel relaxed, happy and clam, were there is no pressure to be someone else or to hurry to the next task. We need to be able to take a step back from everything called technology, to spend less time infront of the computer or the tv, and more time with our loved ones.
söndag 21 februari 2010
Why does consumption increase in a time of recession?
Economy is changing, people are getting fired, forced out of business, faling in to debt and so on. Eventhough this is happening all around us the consumption are still increasing insted of declining, how is this possible?
Why does people continue shopping eventhough they know that the economy is changing for the worst.
A possible explenation is that people belive the economy will change for the better within a short period of time. Once more they will find them self on the top of their game. If this scenario would turn out to be correct, they may argue that it’s only foolish to stop shopping.
Shopping inspite of the economical sitution may by some people be seen as helping the economy back on it’s feet. Instead of holding on to there mony, they choose to spend them at local stores, putting them self in a situation which there is no way out of. Insted of "helping" the economy back on it’s feet, they become a victim of the recession and falls into the debt when they loose their income, which is quite possible in these times.
A major cause to the consumption increase, is that it becomes a drug. People that once have started shopping often get hooked and can not stop. It does not matter if the economy takes a turn to the worse, the need of being able to walk outside and buy whatever they want still exsists.
As sure as shopping becomes a drug it gives us a glance into the main cause of this phenomenon. In a time of economical hardship, for many of us consumption becomes a way to escape our thoughts and troubles. Beeing able to buy the same things as our friend´s, not needing to stand on the sideline saying “I can’t afford it”, gives us a feeling of worth and happines n that instant. But when we get home our problems once more surfaces in our heads, the answer is once more to go outside and buy something that we really don’t need.
Finding the right reason/reasons to the consumption increase during a time of financial hardship, is not an easy task. The causes that has been discussed – consumption in the belief that the economy will change, consumption as a way to help the economy back on it’s feet, consumption as a drug, consumption as a way to forgett all our troubles – in this short text is a way of answering the question asked in the title. I’m sure you can find many more causes to answer this question, however I belive that these causes are of importance to many, when discussing the reason for this phenomenon.
Why does people continue shopping eventhough they know that the economy is changing for the worst.
A possible explenation is that people belive the economy will change for the better within a short period of time. Once more they will find them self on the top of their game. If this scenario would turn out to be correct, they may argue that it’s only foolish to stop shopping.
Shopping inspite of the economical sitution may by some people be seen as helping the economy back on it’s feet. Instead of holding on to there mony, they choose to spend them at local stores, putting them self in a situation which there is no way out of. Insted of "helping" the economy back on it’s feet, they become a victim of the recession and falls into the debt when they loose their income, which is quite possible in these times.
A major cause to the consumption increase, is that it becomes a drug. People that once have started shopping often get hooked and can not stop. It does not matter if the economy takes a turn to the worse, the need of being able to walk outside and buy whatever they want still exsists.
As sure as shopping becomes a drug it gives us a glance into the main cause of this phenomenon. In a time of economical hardship, for many of us consumption becomes a way to escape our thoughts and troubles. Beeing able to buy the same things as our friend´s, not needing to stand on the sideline saying “I can’t afford it”, gives us a feeling of worth and happines n that instant. But when we get home our problems once more surfaces in our heads, the answer is once more to go outside and buy something that we really don’t need.
Finding the right reason/reasons to the consumption increase during a time of financial hardship, is not an easy task. The causes that has been discussed – consumption in the belief that the economy will change, consumption as a way to help the economy back on it’s feet, consumption as a drug, consumption as a way to forgett all our troubles – in this short text is a way of answering the question asked in the title. I’m sure you can find many more causes to answer this question, however I belive that these causes are of importance to many, when discussing the reason for this phenomenon.
söndag 7 februari 2010
Formal and Informal text
1)
What is style?
In the sense of academis writing, style is the diffrent ways of expressing yourself depending on what kind of text you aim to produce. When producing a text you need to know who´s going to read your text, their age, intrests, if it´s a man or a woman, their line of work, their religion, political status and so on. All these things and the genre of the text, decides the style of your text.
2)
Formal text - Satlinism and Nazism Dictatorship in Comparision by Ian Kershaw and Moshe Lewin (student litterature)
Informal text - The Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon (a murder mystery novel)
Distingushing features, formal and informal text.
* Vocabulary
* Length of the sentences
* Rythem when reading
* Content, these text´s are not intended to reach the same public.
3)
Formal text - topic christmas.
Christmas, a celebrated holiday all over the world, with traditions that change depending on your location. Exampels on diffrences in tarditions can be Santa Claus appearence, christmas presents that´s opened on diffrent days and times of the day. The christmas dinner may consist of diffrent dishes.
Regardless of diffrences in traditions, christmas is christmas. A holiday celebrated by all ages, a time of happines.
Informal text - topic christmas.
Christmas is a wounderful holiday that is celebrated all aound the world, Almost everyoune have their own tradition´s, they differ in one way or another. Maybee ower Santas don´t look the same, the christmas present´s aren´t opened on the same day or maybee the food is diffrent.
In the end it dosen´t really matter because christmas will always be christmas. It´s a holiday for both old and young, a time for joy.
What is style?
In the sense of academis writing, style is the diffrent ways of expressing yourself depending on what kind of text you aim to produce. When producing a text you need to know who´s going to read your text, their age, intrests, if it´s a man or a woman, their line of work, their religion, political status and so on. All these things and the genre of the text, decides the style of your text.
2)
Formal text - Satlinism and Nazism Dictatorship in Comparision by Ian Kershaw and Moshe Lewin (student litterature)
"The launching of the Stalin revolution, first in the countryside and the in the industry, destroyed the basis of the regims fragile relationship with the great majority of the population (the smychka) and creted a new crises of legitimacy and authority.
By ending NBP and almost all privite production and trade, Stalin created the first modern non-market, state-run economy, on that simultaneously eliminated rival sources of power and resistance to the will of central authorities" (p. 35)
Informal text - The Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon (a murder mystery novel)
Then she turned and went into the house. She moved very slowly because she was an old lady and she was inside the house for more then 6 minutes and I began to get nervous because i didn´t know wht she was doing in the house. I didn´t know her well enough to know whether she was telling the truth about getting orange squash and battenburg cake. And I thought she might be ringing the police and then I´d get into much more serious because of the caution." (p. 53)
Distingushing features, formal and informal text.
* Vocabulary
* Length of the sentences
* Rythem when reading
* Content, these text´s are not intended to reach the same public.
3)
Formal text - topic christmas.
Christmas, a celebrated holiday all over the world, with traditions that change depending on your location. Exampels on diffrences in tarditions can be Santa Claus appearence, christmas presents that´s opened on diffrent days and times of the day. The christmas dinner may consist of diffrent dishes.
Regardless of diffrences in traditions, christmas is christmas. A holiday celebrated by all ages, a time of happines.
Informal text - topic christmas.
Christmas is a wounderful holiday that is celebrated all aound the world, Almost everyoune have their own tradition´s, they differ in one way or another. Maybee ower Santas don´t look the same, the christmas present´s aren´t opened on the same day or maybee the food is diffrent.
In the end it dosen´t really matter because christmas will always be christmas. It´s a holiday for both old and young, a time for joy.
söndag 21 oktober 2007
Wolves
During the last couple of months and weeks a current topic has been the influence of wolf packs in our forrests. There have been a vivid discussion concerning the right to shoot wolves that are attacking dogs or farm animals. There has also been some discussions surrounding the proposal to introduce a wolf hunt to protect other animals.
During these discussions we have meet two sides. One side that wants to protect the wolf packs and another side that wants to get control over the growth of the packs. Many of the people that have decided to fight for the survivel of the wolves see a beautiful animal that is realted to the dog, a harmless animal. While the other side see a fierce predator who kills their dogs and farm animals. I'm one of the people who belive that we need to introduce a form of wolf hunt. A hunt that will control the growth of the wolf packs. I don't have anything against wolves but I belive that it's not good if the packs become to big.
I live in the countryside and there is a lot of wolves in the surrounding forrest. Sometimes in the winter I can find wolf tracks outside in the front yard and when that happens it feels like it's gone to far. It dosen't feel safe when you go outside any longer. Even if you live in the countryside you should not need to have them in your front yard, you should not have to be afraid to go outside.
During these discussions we have meet two sides. One side that wants to protect the wolf packs and another side that wants to get control over the growth of the packs. Many of the people that have decided to fight for the survivel of the wolves see a beautiful animal that is realted to the dog, a harmless animal. While the other side see a fierce predator who kills their dogs and farm animals. I'm one of the people who belive that we need to introduce a form of wolf hunt. A hunt that will control the growth of the wolf packs. I don't have anything against wolves but I belive that it's not good if the packs become to big.
I live in the countryside and there is a lot of wolves in the surrounding forrest. Sometimes in the winter I can find wolf tracks outside in the front yard and when that happens it feels like it's gone to far. It dosen't feel safe when you go outside any longer. Even if you live in the countryside you should not need to have them in your front yard, you should not have to be afraid to go outside.
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